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L4W:The Lords' Council
Daunton is ruled by an aristocrat oligarchy, who collectively are referred to as the Lords' Council. The council is made up of the following: * Founding Family Heads: The head of each founding family has a seat on the council. While they have but one vote, they tend to have more clout with the other council members, and they tend to be leaders of the various factions / coalitions within the council. Upon death or abdication, their council seats are inherited by a surviving legitimate descendants. * Temple Heads: The head of each great temple is Daunton has a seat on the council. The seat belongs to the temple, not the priest. * Minor Lords: The founding family heads can vote to accept new members to the council. These are usually wealthy land owners, business men, or war heroes. Typically, these seats are granted as life lords, meaning the title is not inherited upon death of the title holder. How they Govern Four times a year, the Lords' Council convenes in full to address the problems of the realm. The lords decide on high level policy; however, they leave the more mundane tasks of running the city to the Mayor. The Mayor is appointed by the Lords and is granted broad powers to run Daunton on a day-to-day basis. Each time the council meets, they must vote to extent the term of the Mayor, so it is important that he or she keeps a majority of the council members happy with his performance. The council members send representatives to The Officia Politica to watch over and assist the Mayor in his duties. These young lordlings and priests can hold quite a bit of power, as they act in proxy for the council members. Since there is no King or President, majority rule is the way of things. As such, the lords form coalitions within the Council. These alliances constantly shift, though founding family members tend to lead these groups. Accepting new minor lords is more often about securing votes than honoring deeds. Notable Council Members 'Lady Glasston' Lady Glasston is the widower head of the Glasstons, she is reputed to be fantastically rich, but there may be more hype than fact behind that reputation. Skill Check Modifiers: If the player’s first insight check is successful, all other rolls gain a +4 bonus. However, if the first insight check fails, all other rolls have -2 modifier. 'Maester Amroth Linwelin' The chief Maester at the Great Library. The elf is old and stuffy, and he is fiercely loyal to the Celestine Rhysling; he is enchanted by her beauty and her family wealth, and hopes (perhaps hopelessly) to acquire both. Skill Check Modifiers: If the player’s first history check is successful, all other rolls gain a +4 bonus. However, if the first history check fails, all other rolls have -2 modifier. 'Sir Edward Brennon' Once a great hero, now he is a fat drunk. Still, he longs for days of glory past. Despite being married, Brennon frequents many houses of ill repute and has several bastard children. Skill Check Modifiers: If the player’s first bluff check is successful, all other rolls gain a +4 bonus. However, if the first Bluff check fails, all other rolls have -2 modifier. 'Witfer Ithric' A plump, gimpy, ugly Halfling, Witfer is a conniving schemer. He has a sharp tongue to match his wits, and speaks more boldly than his stature affords him. The Ithric family are successful traders of great wealth, but the more trusted and respected members of this family have past away, leaving this one as Lord. Skill Check Modifiers: If the player’s first streetwise check is successful, all other rolls gain a +4 bonus. However, if the first streetwise check fails, all other rolls have -2 modifier. 'Celestine Rhysling' A beautiful, middle aged woman. Her husband died suddenly, and she suspects it was murder by one of the other council members, but she not sure who. She is paranoid, but still an eligible socialite. She entertains many men looking to court her, but she is not yet willing to marry and give up her seat of power. Her taste of power since her husband's death has made her crave more. Skill Check Modifiers: If the player’s first diplomacy check is successful, all other rolls gain a +4 bonus. However, if the first diplomacy check fails, all other rolls have -2 modifier. 'Grimwold Brem' The third son of a dwarven founding family, Grimwold had to find a place for himself, having little chance to inherit his father’s fortunes and title. He looked to gain fame and renown as a man at arms, adventuring and fighting in tourneys. For a time, he followed Aurelia Carenvale, enchanted by her beauty like so many others, and fallen for her misleading charms, like so many others. But just as the others, she cast him off for another. He departed her service less than a year before the five saved Daunton. In the time that followed, Grimwold studied at the Temple of Palladys, and he was confirmed as a Paladin. Many consider him the ‘Hero that wasn’t’ and speak whispers about how he went from following one powerful woman to another, but this time one that couldn’t leave him. But they would never say these things to his face. Unexpectedly, His older brothers were taking by illness and accident, and the unlikely heir was recalled from the temple to become a Lord. Note: Not all of them Brem’s left Allaria, and some of his relatives remain in the fallen empire. Skill Check Modifiers: If the player’s first religion check is successful, all other rolls gain a +4 bonus. However, if the first religion check fails, all other rolls have -2 modifier. 'Lord Winston Donnervale' The Rich nobleman has earned himself a position of respect amongst the founding families, though his wealth came after the exodus from Allaria, so the Donnervales are not truly founders. A man of great business acumen, he usually has the final say on matters of coin for the realm. While generally friendly to all, he has no love for wizards, warlocks, mages, or any professor of arcane knowledge. Due to a run in with shapeshifter that he refuses to speak of (or even acknowledge, when questioned), he completely distrusts all manner of Arcane users, regardless of the reputation. Skill Check Modifiers: Players with Arcane power sources are -2 on skill checks against Donnervale. Players with Non-Arcane power sources are +1 on skill checks against Donnervale. 'High Priest Davos Mellesandre' The high priest runs the Chapel of the Obolus, and he has spent his life in service to Lauto. Due to the wealth of his temple, Mellesandre holds great sway over the other temple heads, garnering their support through donations (either by giving them or withholding them). The high priest has a vision for Daunton as a more religious state with greater power for the temples, and therefore himself, but he is waiting for a major catastrophe or conflict to use to push this agenda. Mellesandre inherently distrusts martial players, viewing them as non-believers, but he is favorable to those who have devoted their lives to the service of god. Skill Check Modifiers: Players with Martial power sources are -2 on skill checks against Mellesandre. Players with Divine power sources are +2 on skill checks against Mellesandre.